Bristol Autumn News - What makes this city so great

Forget Paris, Prague and Berlin - the place to be this winter is the one and only Bristol. We love it here so we may be a little biased, but it doesn't change the fact that Rough Guides ranked our lovely city fourth in its "Top 10 Cities to Visit in 2017" list. Although Bristol comes alive in the summer (think Upfest, the Harbourside Festival and the International Balloon Fiesta), it's also pretty special during the colder months. Here's why!

Fancy a nice autumnal walk?

Bristol may be lively, vibrant city, but it's certainly not short of gorgeous (and Instagrammable!) green areas. If you're looking for a lovely autumnal walk, our city won't disappoint.

For the perfect dog-walking park, check out Ashton Court Estate. With its charming mansion, golf course and friendly cafes, this is the perfect place to bring your family for a lovely, peaceful Sunday.

For impressive views of the whole city, climb Cabot Tower on Brandon Hill. Don't forget a packet of monkey nuts for the world's greediest squirrels!

For colourful trees and wildlife spotting, give the treetop walkway at Westonbirt Arboretum a try. Trust us, you won't regret

In the mood for a hot chocolate?

As the weather gets colder we can't help but crave hot chocolate with every meal. Luckily, Bristol is home to hundreds of independent cafes serving the best of the best!

Swing by Bar Chocolat in Clifton Village for possibly the world's best hot chocolate and an unmissable view of our very own Suspension Bridge.

You can't visit Bristol without heading to Whapping Wharf's recent Cargo development! From Lovett Pies to Big Juice, this shipping container village has everything you need for a fun food & drink pitstop.

Cox and Baloney's Tearoom & Bar is the place to be if you'd rather skip the hot chocolate and go straight for a cocktail (served in a teapot, of course).

Need something to keep you busy?

Of course, you haven't come all the way to Bristol just to sit around drinking hot chocolate and eating pies. Bristol is home to some of the most creative people around, reflected by its incredible street art, pop-up art exhibitions and cool sculptures found in our city's bustling centre. For a real taste of what Bristol has to offer, here's what you should see:

Head to the Arnolfini for Grayson Perry's "The Most Popular Art Exhibition Ever!" It's fun, it's enlightening, and it's free! You can find out more here.

This isn't strictly a creative hotspot, but it wouldn't be winter without visiting Bristol's German Christmas Market! As soon as it opens on the 10th November we'll take our cue to start wearing Christmas jumpers in the office.